Lice Treatments

Lice treatment is necessary when a person has an infestation of live head lice. If one person has lice in a home, check all household members and treat the infested members at the same time. Some people may need two treatments for new eggs that may have hatched. Properly identifying lice or eggs (nits), treating, and taking prevention measures are important in avoiding a second infestation. Prescription and over the counter treatments are available for lice treatment.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of lice can be an itchy scalp behind ears or at the bottom of your neck. There may also be red marks or a rash. Keep in mind that although, these symptoms are typical they are not always present with a lice infestation.

Indentification

• To identify a nit, check the hair follicle closest to the scalp. A live nit will look similar to small granules of sugar and sometimes is confused with hair gels, spray, or even dandruff. The difference is that it will stick to the hair strand and has to be pulled off. Dead lice nits will be brown or yellow almost resembling a tiny sesame seed.

Prevention

• Preventing lice can be difficult since someone in contact with an infestation may not even know it. Borrowing brushes, combs, hat, or other personal items should be avoided. Make sure you clean items such as bed linen, car seats, and headrest in the car. Tell your kids to keep personal items separate rather than combining hats, coats, or gloves with other children's personal items.

Prescription Treatment

• You physician can prescribe a prescription for lice. Lindane sold by the name brand Kwell is used by applying to the hair and then rinsing. It has been used for over 50 years and is the least effective. It should be used as a last resort since there have been reported cases of seizures in children after applications. Another prescription, Malathion, is applied to the hair and washed after 8 to12 hours. It is recommended to be used only on resistant cases of lice since the alcohol content is high making it flammable. After treatment with these products, a lice comb should be used to comb and existing eggs from the hair strand. When using either product, you should take care to follow your physician's instructions.

Over the Counter Treatment

• Pyrethrin (permethrin) is an over the counter method of ridding lice. It is available under names such as NIX or Rid and some other store brand names. This method is considered safe and effective. Side effects can include itching, or a rash. Resistance to these products in the US has increased and sometimes requires more than one treatment. After treating lice with pyrethrin, a lice comb should be used to comb out any eggs left on hair strands. When using an over the counter lice product, you should follow the direction on the label.

Household and Reinfestation Treatment

• Many times after treating for lice, people will become frustrating when the lice are still not gone. If you treat for lice and miss only a few live lice, reinfestation can begin all over again. To avoid reinfestation, household items should be treated too. All bedding should be washed in hot water and dried in high heat. The entire house should be vacuumed including furniture, mattresses and lice insecticides are available too if you choose to use these. Place toys that cannot be washed in a sealed plastic bag for two weeks. Wash all personal items such as brushes or combs in hot water or replace them. As a last resort, cutting hair short or in many cases of boys or men they will shave the head bald eliminating the lice.

Alternative Treatments

• Many people use home remedies such as mayonnaise or vinegar or a combination of household cooking products. According to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, "Research has shown lice can survive when immersed in water for 14 hours at 86-98 degrees F." This research shows that using home remedies such as mayonnaise is ineffective since the lice can live under the household cooking items for up to 14 hours as well. Health Food stores sell Hair-Clean-1-2-3. It has proven to be as effective as or better than Nix or Rid. Because of the alcohol content is highly flammable too. It requires the user to comb the nits out after treatment and a second treatment after 7 to10 days.